Britney Spears’ mental illness causes conservatorship woes: report

Something’s the matter with Britney Spears, TMZ reports. That’s not a joke, or some slam against whatever is going on in this photo shoot. Because according to TMZ, Spears is dealing with a “serious medical issue” — one that she and her handlers do not want disclosed — and it’s an illness that could extend the conservatorship of her affairs indefinitely.

A little perspective on that situation: imagine having your dad and boyfriend make all your decisions for you. That, friends, is the life of an internationally mega-famous pop star. Spears’ affairs are managed by outside parties in a two-part conservatorship, TMZ notes. Her business affairs account for one half of the conservatorship arrangement, and decisions regarding her personal life account for the other. (At the moment, TMZ notes, her father, Jamie Spears, and fiance/manager, Jason Trawick, make the calls in her personal life.)

According to reports, though, Spears believes she is “ready” for that arrangement to end, and as Bang Showbiz reports, the new X Factor star met with a judge last week in the hopes of regaining some control over her life.

But according to TMZ, that won’t be happening — and it’s all because of Spears’ current mental state.

Now, Spears’ conservators don’t seem to want their charge’s specific ailment disclosed, lending TMZ’s report some unsettling ambiguity. The outlet obtained court documents regarding Spears’ case that were filed Tuesday, and they include a request to seal the papers lest they cause “irreparable harm and immediate danger” to the pop star. But TMZ claims the file reveals Spears to be battling a “disorder affecting her personality that can affect her state of mind.”

One silver lining: they also report that she’s faring “extremely well,” in spite of this.

“Britney’s team of doctors just don’t feel that she is ready for the conservatorship to end,” a source familiar with the case told RadarOnline. “They have specific concerns related to her mental health and aren’t ready to tell the judge that Britney is ready to go it alone just yet.”

During Spears’ meeting with Judge Reva Goetz last week, RadarOnline reports that the star was specifically interested in ending the conservatorship of her personal affairs. As per their source, “it’s fine with her if it [the conservatorship] stays in place as far as her professional life, but she wants to call the shots when it comes to her personal life.”

The source continued: “Britney pointed out to the judge that she will be on live television weekly this fall once X Factor premieres on Fox in September and the tremendous progress she has made since the conservatorship was put in place.”

According to Radar, Spears is expected to meet again with the judge within the next two months.